Nebraska's Oldest, Now-Demolished Mall Is Planned To Be Revitalized By 2032 With Shops, Eats, And Entertainment

Back in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, malls were the place to be. Teens would gather there on weekends, twenty-somethings would go there for a date night, and families with young kids would turn out to see Santa in the winter. But beginning in the 2000s, these once-popular gathering places saw a slow decline brought about by the rise of online shopping, tighter budgets, and changing consumer preferences. Now, videos and photos of abandoned malls have become a popular genre online, speaking to the intrigue of liminal spaces.

But some people believe that the mall can thrive again — if it's rethought and revitalized. The newly revamped malls of the 2020s are not the malls of yesteryear. Instead of heavily relying on big-box stores, they feature luxury retailers and non-retail attractions like gyms, entertainment venues, and restaurants. And they're bringing in new, younger customers. "The first digitally native generation is resurrecting an old-fashioned American pastime: Shopping at the mall," wrote the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.

One such revitalization is planned at a historic mall site in Omaha, Nebraska. Crossroads Mall opened in 1960, making it the oldest mall in the state. It was demolished beginning in 2020, but there are plans in the works to redevelop it into a new type of shopping center more aligned with modern tastes, featuring shops, eats, and entertainment.

After previous developers fell through, management and development company Woodbury Corporation and partner WRK Real Estate took over the former Crossroads Mall site with a plan for a redevelopment now called simply The Crossroads. The company plans to add restaurants, retail, housing, offices, and a central plaza. When the Woodbury deal was announced in late 2024, the company's lawyer told Nebraska Examiner that the first phase of redevelopment should be completed in two to three years, with the entire redevelopment completed by 2032.

So far, only one tenant has been confirmed, but it's a big one: Gamescape, a family-friendly entertainment center by Cinemark, will take up 90,000 square feet and include a bowling alley, laser tag, arcade, movie theater, and restaurant. Construction began in June 2025, and Gamescape is set to open in late 2027 or early 2028. The entertainment complex seems like a good fit for Omaha, Nebraska's largest city, known for quirky art and indie eats. Only two other Gamescapes are open in the U.S.: one in El Paso, Texas, one of the sunniest cities in America (pictured above), and one in Greenville, Texas. Reviews are mostly positive, with Google reviewers praising the fun activities and tasty food, although some say the experience is on the expensive side, and others wish there were more arcade games.

While some Omaha residents remain skeptical that The Crossroads plans will ever fully materialize, Woodbury representatives have continued to show confidence about the project. "Building a city within a city, it takes time and we want to get it right," Josh Berger, Midwest development director for Woodbury, told 3 News Now in 2025. While unconfirmed, there are rumors floating around the internet about other potential tenants. As we await further updates, would-be shoppers can head to America's 10 best outdoor malls for the ultimate shopping experience.